TURNBULL GOVERNMENT MUST GUARANTEE SHAKY SKILLS FUNDING

10 Aug 2017

Further doubt has been cast on the Turnbull Government’s already shaky funding for the Skilling Australians Fund after new research by the Australian Population Research Institute shows a reduction in the number of skilled migration visas – the sole funding stream for the Skilling Australians Fund.

Further doubt has been cast on the Turnbull Government’s already shaky funding for the Skilling Australians Fund after new research by the Australian Population Research Institute shows a reduction in the number of skilled migration visas – the sole funding stream for the Skilling Australians Fund.

Only Labor has guaranteed funding for TAFE and skills regardless of the number of overseas workers coming to Australia.

Independent analysts have identified that the funding model is inherently flawed. They have also pointed out the implausibility of the 300,000 figure, as it relies on apprenticeships and trainees attracting more than 30 per cent of the projected employment growth by 2020 — even though they currently occupy just 2.3 per cent of jobs.

It is no surprise that the Turnbull Government is going nowhere with this model. The National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform expired more than a month ago, and the Skilling Australians Fund was announced three months ago, but the Turnbull Government still has no agreement in place with the states.

The $637 million cut to skills in this year’s budget shows that the Turnbull Government is too consumed by internal division to put the money where its mouth is and address the dramatic decline in apprenticeship numbers.

Labor will return the $600 million to the skills budget and work directly with employers and unions to create skilled jobs in local communities as well as invest $100 million to rebuild TAFE.

The loss of skills seen under the Turnbull Government affects the productivity and prosperity of the whole country and it’s time they follow Labor’s lead and guarantee skills funding.